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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27973611">Cipher, Do you read?</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tlern467/pseuds/Tlern467'>Tlern467</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Star Wars Legends: The Old Republic (Video Game)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Espionage, F/F, Kissing, Partial Nudity</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-12-09</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-12-09</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-10 16:00:24</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>664</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27973611</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tlern467/pseuds/Tlern467</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Cipher, Do you read?</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Cipher, Do you Read? </p><p>Tess Twinstar felt a cold shudder creep down her spine. Like fingers of cold steel pressing firmly against flesh and bone. </p><p>It was her first shore leave in quite some time. Operatives like her were seldom afforded the luxury of a reprieve.<br/>
She brushed away the sense of unease and tried to take in the moment.<br/>
Next to her was the most beautiful woman she had allowed herself to get close to.<br/>
Tess gingerly brushed strands of raven hair away from their face and the little beads of sweat on her face.<br/>
The cold unease came back in force, tingling along her shoulder blades, twisting in her belly.<br/>
Something terrible was happening.<br/>
The woman next to her flailed in the grip of a nightmare.<br/>
Tess leaned in to give her a gentle kiss and smelled her perfume. Lilac and a hint of rilik sap.<br/>
The two lovers held onto each other like lifeboats as they were both tugged and torn at by demons both internal and external.<br/>
Tess listened to the swell and cadence of watcher two’s heartbeat. Felt it quicken then slow. Her clammy skin gradually warmed. Tess felt her breath catch then gradually calm as well.<br/>
Tess kissed her with all the urgency of passion she felt. Tears burned down her cheeks. Operatives like her weren’t supposed to get attached to anyone, much less their contacts. But she found she couldn’t help herself.<br/>
Her job was lonely enough as it was-hunting down dissidents, spying and dismantling terror cells, somehow avoiding much of the power plays between high ranking Sith and staying alive in the process.<br/>
Watcher Two’s eyes stared into her own and Tess found them both crying silently as they kissed and held each other for dear life. Dread be damned.<br/>
She let herself get lost in her most unlikely love for a most unlikely person. </p><p>They both gasped for breath as if they had been swimming deep in Maanaan’s waterscape. Reality slowly shuddered back in-the growing dread, a buzzing she later realized was dialogue.<br/>
« Cipher Nine do you read? Repeat Cipher Nine do you read? » It was an anxious young man’s voice she didn’t recognize. « Cipher Nine, do you read? »<br/>
The dread twisted deeper-this time given casuality.<br/>
The two women looked at each other and understood in the same terrified instant.<br/>
« The Citadel » they breathed. Almost afraid whatever horrors happened there hadn’t<br/>
Tess grabbed a blanket for modesty’s sake and walked over to her mobile comm set up.<br/>
« Cipher Nine here, » she replied.<br/>
« Thank the Emperor, » the young man said. « Keeper was worried the worst had happened. Well, much of it already has... » the man was clearly trying to save face. « Cipher Nine, imperial intelligence they...it was awful. Those of us here at Citadel-most of us are dead or dying. »<br/>
« What? » watcher two chimed in, also draping a blanket around her.<br/>
« Watcher Two? I am glad to hear your voice even if this is all...irregular. » he coughed. « A-Anyway...Citadel command is dessicated. Whatever Sith you angered came in with a rage, her and a score of sith assassins. We didn’t stand a chance. All we saw of the Sith...was a mask. Keeper says...his orders are on your ship. Cipher Nine...watcher two...long live...the Empire... »<br/>
The transmission cut out just as the young man slumped over out of frame. </p><p>The two women huddled together, holding each other close. Listening to the drone of the tranquil jungle-a far cry from the merciless terrain of Dromund Kaas. Even there, there was no home for them-not for some time. Them and whatever splinter cells operating in Empire space were fictionally all that was left of Imperial Intelligence.<br/>
« Long live the Empire, » the two said breathlessly, staring into each other’s eyes. Knowing they were alive because they had to spend their rare tranquil moment together. Unorthodox but at least they were alive.<br/>
They brushed each other’s hair away and kissed again.<br/>
Long live the Empire</p>
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